Thursday 23 October 2008

First post from Beijing

Dugals report on the first week of living in Beijing,

Spent more time in Starbucks then any where else

That's more or less everything, ok well that's a lie, i have done quite alot, been attempting achieve things without needing help from abs, I'm reasonable happy with how far i can get in the city without being able to use more then just hello and thank you.

Sign language and pointing tends to be the easiest way of getting a message across .

One thing i haven't got used to yet, is the fact that toilet paper in bathrooms is outside the cubicle, the number of times i forget that after a big job is just embarrassing. Having to do the toilet paper dance to get some, like man, it's something nobody needs to see never mind read about in an idiots blog!

I opened my first bank account on sunday, which eventually was pretty easy, my first try at this, the lady on the counter tried to get me to open a credit card with a 2500 rmb deposit required, so i told her to stick it and came back with help. So maybe i cant do everything alone in Beijing.

I'm also well pleased that i've managed to convince somebody that i am able to teach English, however i haven't convinced myself of this just yet... That should come soon, currently i'm just waiting on my contract to be produced then i can arrange with working visa. Got all parts of my body which can be crossed, crossed that i wont have to fly back to Manchester just to get a silly stamp in my passport.

My objectives for the second week in Beijing is to spread my name around on various websites about being an english tutor, not for money just yet, for the cheap cheap price of a coffee each hour. That is much cheaper than anyone else is currently advertising. Get some regular customers before bring in higher prices, haha yeah sweet!

Is it wrong that i start to recognise all the regulars in starbucks, staff and customers, like that is a white guy who always get the good seat right next the PowerPoint. Got a similar laptop to me, i think i will start to give these people imaginary names, like he will be called Mr Jeeves. cos he looks like a butler. Yes i'm bored now.

My god, why have i had no tea in the past week!!!!

One kinda good thing about the pollution levels in this city, is that you can get some funky looking sunsets. check this mother out!



Yes anything that i have to do this week is to write a strongly worded e-mail to the boys in metallica, just to get some feelings of my chest and to list all the reasons why putting on a private gig just for me in Beijing is a very good idea and excellent use of their time. I should do the same for Iron Maiden too, hell why don't i arrange a personal festival, Dugalstock!!!! yes it will be the best ever in the world........

Hope this is an informative report on life in Beijing.

Bye for now Dugal

ps CUP OF MOTHER FUCKING TEA!!!!

Tuesday 14 October 2008

Welcome All

Welcome to the first post in the wonderful world of Dugal.

That hansome devil below is my newly born nephew. The ulgy barstard holding him is me.
















I'm starting this blog to describe my adventures in beijing when i will be pretending to be a teacher, and hoping that no one finds out that i don't know the first thing about language teaching, never mind having a limited grasp on the my own language.

But any way, this is the introduction to myself.
I'm 27 working as a desk monkey moving paper around all day long, and sending bored emails all day, around 6500000 on average each day, in a job which cant really take me anywhere, even if the pay is stupidly high for the role. So finally i decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something which i've been talking about and thinking of the past four years.

So i am moving to Beijing to find fortune and glory, well there will come eventually but in the meantime i shall teach people to speak english, yorkshire english of course.

Right now i have 4 days left in good ole sheffield and still havent got a solid offer of work in Beijing, but silly details like that have never been enough to stop me. At least i have somewhere to stay and contact who knows the city well.

I'm going to miss this city and people here, so i'll be staying in touch with the medium of dance, or the net which ever.

In your face!

This is the brief introduction to my current situation and an indication of what is to come in the wonderful world of dugal.

Expect regular accounts of Dugal.